Vengeful Heir: The Rise of Ethan Bennett

Chapter Seven

Max Steele reclined in his leather chair, his fingers drumming rhythmically on the polished mahogany desk.

The office buzzed with energy, but his mind was consumed by thoughts of Ethan. The divorce had been too easy, too clean.

Ethan had walked away without a fight, and that bothered Max more than he’d care to admit.

No anger, no begging, just a quiet signature on the dotted line. That wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

Max smirked to himself, a wicked idea taking shape in his mind. Ethan might have walked away with his dignity intact, but Max would make sure that was short-lived.

He had always relished in control, and now, with Ethan out of the picture, he could manipulate the narrative to suit his agenda. If Ethan wouldn’t fight back, Max would force his hand.

"Let’s see how the public feels about your sudden fall from grace," Max muttered, his voice dripping with malice.

He grabbed his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found exactly what he needed, an old acquaintance who thrived on gossip and lies.

"Peter, it’s Max. I have a story for you," he said, his voice smooth but insidious.

Max wasted no time. He spun the tale of a "worthless" son-in-law who had leached off his wife, unable to support himself, living in luxury at Sophia’s expense.

He exaggerated every detail, painting Ethan as a man who had clung to Sophia for financial survival.

A man who had nothing of his own, no identity, no pride. Max’s voice was cold, ruthless, as he laid the foundation for the rumors that would soon spread through every corner of their social circle.

"You know what to do. Make sure it gets out there," Max concluded, hanging up with a satisfied grin.

The plan was set in motion, and it didn’t take long for the whispers to begin. Within days, the story of Ethan being financially dependent on Sophia became the topic of conversation at every event, every dinner party, every casual encounter among the elite.

People who had once smiled politely at Ethan now scoffed behind his back, branding him a "pathetic" man who had lost everything.

At a high end social gathering, Max made sure to fan the flames. Standing by the bar, drink in hand, he leaned in toward a small group of influential figures.

"Did you hear about Ethan?" he asked, feigning concern. "Poor guy couldn’t even support himself without Sophia. It’s no wonder she left him."

The group chuckled, their voices laced with mockery. "I heard he’s practically living off handouts now," one of them sneered, and Max nodded, pretending to sympathize.

"It’s a shame," Max added with a shake of his head. "But I guess some people just aren’t cut out for success."

Max revealed in the attention, his heart swelling with twisted satisfaction as he watched the narrative take hold.

People believed him, and Ethan’s name was dragged through the mud without even lifting a finger.

The power of perception was something Max had always known how to wield, and now, he was using it to destroy the man who had once stood silently in his shadow.

What Max didn’t know was that Ethan was watching. From the shadows, Ethan had become an observer of his own life, quietly allowing the rumors to spread without defending himself.

He knew Max better than anyone. Max thrived on control, on feeling superior, and if Ethan fought back, it would only feed into Max’s game. So, he did nothing on the surface, at least.

Behind the scenes, however, Ethan was already two steps ahead. As Max fed the rumors, Ethan was pulling strings of his own, using his vast wealth and influence to quietly buy up shares of Steele Industries.

He moved slowly, strategically, acquiring just enough stock to remain unnoticed but positioning himself for a takeover. Max was too busy gloating over Ethan’s supposed humiliation to realize the financial cracks that were beginning to form.

Ethan’s assistant, Liam, kept him updated regularly. Every share purchase was a small victory, another piece of the Steele family’s empire slipping into Ethan’s grasp. And all the while, Max remained blissfully ignorant, thinking he had won the battle.

One evening, as Max sat at a lavish dinner party, basking in the praise of his social circle, Ethan quietly slipped into the back of the room. Dressed in his usual understated attire, he was invisible to the crowd. No one paid him any attention. To them, he was the forgotten ex-husband, a man of no importance.

Max, unaware of Ethan’s presence, continued to spin his tale, his voice laced with disdain as he recounted the divorce.

"Sophia was too kind, really," Max said loudly enough for the nearby tables to hear. "She should’ve thrown him out long before. The man couldn’t even hold down a decent job."

Laughter erupted, and Max basked in the sound, raising his glass as if to toast his own brilliance. But in the corner, Ethan’s eyes glinted with something far more dangerous than anger. It was patience. Calculated, controlled patience.

Ethan didn’t need to confront Max, not yet. He didn’t need to raise his voice or defend his reputation in a room full of people who had already made up their minds.

No, Ethan was playing a different game. While Max revealed in his fleeting moment of power, Ethan was laying the groundwork for Max’s eventual downfall.

As the night wore on, Ethan slipped out of the party, leaving Max to his delusions of grandeur. He didn’t need the approval of these people.

He didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. Because soon, the truth would reveal itself. Max’s arrogance, his need for control, would be his undoing.

The next day, Ethan received a call from Liam.

"Sir, we’ve secured another five percent of Steele Industries’ shares," Liam reported, his tone professional but with a hint of excitement. "We’re nearly at twenty percent ownership."

Ethan smiled to himself, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction. "Good. Keep going. Slowly, quietly. Max doesn’t need to know until it’s too late."

As he ended the call, Ethan leaned back in his chair, the weight of the rumors and insults fading into the background.

Max thought he had won, thought he had crushed Ethan beneath the weight of his lies. But Ethan knew the truth.

He wasn’t fighting back in the way Max expected. He was dismantling Max’s world piece by piece, and when the time came, the fall would be catastrophic.

Max had no idea the game he was playing wasn’t his to win. And soon, very soon, the tables would turn.

***